Ok so I am going Whitetail hunting for the first time in a long time this year. Conditions will be some brush possible and furthest shot will be 300m, more than likely under 200m if I can help it. While not my only suitable rifle my 9.3x62 is what I want to use, a new rifle (6.5 SW) is not in the budget until next year (after the Benelli Montefelltro that has been calling me )

Looking at 3 rounds (I looked at the Fed A Swift but could not find any in stock);

PP 286gr sp (I bought a case 2 years ago and still have a crap load I am harvesting for brass), I recently used on hog and was not pleased with the expansion at 140m, it got the job done but did not see allot if any expansion.

Norma 286gr Oryx, don't have any history yet with this round (or the next) but it seems to get good reviews.

Nosler 286gr Partition, I like that it is "slightly faster since I will be launching it out of a 20.45" barrel and it seem to get good reviews everywhere.

So what is the forums opinion? I need to order a box or 2 in the next day or so to get it to the range to ensure the CZ likes it before hitting the field. Except for the PP which the CZ will easily do MOA with.

Are you going to consume the meat or this is a trophy hunt ?

I think you know where this is going

No whitetail is going to fight back

Whatever happens : )

Hopefully consume meat .....

You mean not everything in Texas is bigger :-)

Hornady has this cartridge loaded with 286 grain sp. I took a deer last year with it and it performed as it should. Priced reasonable also, around 50 bucks a box up in this part of the country

Oryx expands well and have a retension weight ~90% works for both deer and bigger game.

Your rifle will likely have a definite accuracy preference for one of them. Use whichever that is.

I used the 286 partition on a moose here and had zero meat damage.

Norma shoots good, the oryx or Alaska bullet expands and will just bowl over a whitetail. It will cut a hole in and out.

it won't matter which bullet, as long as not an NBT, as shot placement is everything for this ... whitetails have been killed with 22 hornets (and smaller)... expansion on a whitetail with a 9,3? don't sweat it .. an unopened 9,3 is larger than most expanded 270s or 243 .. and NO ONE questions that those are deer rifles...

ive got several 9.3's.... the easiest to shoot is an older (1934) commercial 96 mauser in 9.3 x 57... it wears a redfield 3-9 scope, post reticle.. weighs in at a little over 7 lbs... shoots Norma 286 gr sp's into less than 2" at 100 if I do my part.. easy to carry, recoil is easy....I got a yearling axis does last yr with it at about 70 yds...I carry it when I want nostalgia... I've got a chapuis in 9.3 x 74r... topped with zeiss glass.. 3 x 9 x 40.. duplex... its shoots to the sights out to 150 yds.. then I change sight picture for distance... ive taken several axis and hogs with it... axis have been 1 shot kills, hogs are a different matter...ive lined up several at close range, but the 286 softs don't pass thru...

I used a .375 with 300gr. Nosler Partitions. It did the job quite nicely on a 170# 6point whitey. He never took a step and went down so fast I thought I missed.

Just a little 1/2" exit wound. That's all.

The Partitions will work just fine.

Heck, even the Nosler BT's are fine. Whatever you have on hand that shoots well will work.

I am using some old Speer 250's this year.

I have used Accubonds 250Gr. Hornady, Partitions and Oryx in 285/286 gr in my 9.3x62 Husky and shot goats - pigs and red deer, for me the Norma oryx have been the more emphatic killers at all ranges.On a goat deer and pig cull for a property owner 99 animals were shot in 6 days most with the 9.3 and none needed a second shot.The max range were goats at 330yds they just crumpled and didnt move again.

Although I have 286 Partitions and Megas for mine, I think the 250 Accubond is the most versatile for North America. You can get 2500+ from that carbine and it has ballistic coefficient of almost .500 which gives you more range if you need it.

Actually whitetails in Texas take a totally different kind of bullet than whitetails anywhere else. The bullet must have a color replica of the Texas State Flag imprinted on it's outer surface in order to be legal and efficient in taking a Texas whitetail. Just thought I would point this out and am sure a lot of Texas folks here on AR can assure you this is indeed required.

Larry Sellers
SCI (International) Life Member

Funny.
For Texas deer, use the lightest bullet you can find for a 9.3; the 250 grains work fine. The partitions and the fancy new premium solid copper bullets are not needed at all for deer. That stuff is all marketing gimmick for deer. Of course they will kill them but so will the plain old cup and core bullets of old.

Heck cast bullets will kill those Texas deer just fine. Cheap to shoot too.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Funny.
For Texas deer, use the lightest bullet you can find for a 9.3; the 250 grains work fine. The partitions and the fancy new premium solid copper bullets are not needed at all for deer. That stuff is all marketing gimmick for deer. Of course they will kill them but so will the plain old cup and core bullets of old.

I'd love to see some lighter bullets down to 200 grains like the 35 Whelen/350 Rem Mag.

What a/b the 270 Speer ?

dewhorse.

You have experienced the same thing I have when using the cartridge on game. Expansion at what seems like close ranges is reduced. 140 yards is not far for some, however for a short range thumper like the 9.3x62 it is.

Fall of shot at 300 yards is large and I hope you get your 200 yard shot. It is just not a long range proposition.

Premiums are rarely required except for the largest plains game and DG.

Look for a conventional 285 Mega or 286 Hornady if you have to use that weight. If you can get a Nosler 250 to shoot accurately try them.

RWS 258 H-Mantle factory ammo shoots very flat and is perfect for deer size game.

I would agree that 300 is a bit much and I believe that looking at the range card I worked out for the blind I think 200-100m is what I am looking at.

I picked up 2 boxes of Norma 286gr Oryx but depending on if I can get range time tomorrow (doubtful) I will use the PP SP for opening morning.

I will look at the 250s but they don't seem to get you much more ...maybe I am missing something. Thinking those with the plastic tips may be the ticket for fast expansion...we will see

Thank you for all the feed back

Years ago in the dark ages we only had the 250 grain Speer; it opened up quickly and killed bears and deer just as fast. I wouldn't use it on heavy game, but now we have better bullets for that. I don't know why they stopped making it; yes you can try their 270 although I have not. Good point on the cast leads; it don't take much to kill a deer. You want the bullet that will open up and kill quickly on a light beast; don't need penetration in this case. You will automatically get it from a 9.3 made from anything; I fear some of the bullets made for large plains game or even DG will penetrate and not expand. And won't kill as fast.

Oryx, effective bullet but not the first choice if one is very concerned about keeping every pound of meat.
However; 100% damaged meat is the deer you fire at and never find......

Just had some 210 gr CEB's loaded for my 9.3 x 62. Very accurate.

Taking it with me on a Texas deer hunt also just to try the load on a hog.

I have used a lot of differnt bullets on deer and deer size animals in the 9.3x62 and most are on the hard side as its mostly used for larger animals..

I like the 286 gr. Nosler on Mule Deer but it is a bit on the hard side but it doesn't blood shot a lot of meat and it penetrates leaving a nickle size exit and a good blood trail, but they might make some tracks, say 50 to 75 yards..

The softest bullet I've used is the 270 gr. Speer so you might try that. I know its not much on elk because it is too soft.

I have not used the Nosler lighter balistic tips,(200 or 225 gr. as I recall) but they have an almost too soft reputation in all calibers, so that may be your best bet, and they would extend your range over the 270 gr. round nose speer..

As to how easy it is to kill a Texas deer, depends on your location, some of those So Texas deer will weigh up to and sometime over the 200 pound mark..A deer is a highly adrenalized animal and being hot blooded they can sometimes surprise you with a off center shot, I have known them to make many miles when gut shot, and caliber doesn't seem to make a lot of difference sometimes..

Hey, Charlie Sisk and John Barsness made the 9.3 BS (Barsness-Sisk) right there in Texas. It's a 350 Rem Mag necked to 9.3...their goal to create a 9.3 Short Mag. The shoulder stays the same, so a simple 9.3 expander through the neck and load it up. Charlie used a 286gr Partition, but I'd opt for a 250gr Accubond for higher velocity and better long-range ballistics.

I have one that he build for himself when he made Barsness' rifle. A new Sisk is $5,600, and this one is just about new except for Charlie's load work-ups. $1,795 shipped. It's the dark stock with silver marbling. Includes a bunch of 1X 350 Rem Mag brass, and a box of 9.3 BS headstamped brass.

I don't think any of those choices are going to yield any better expansion. The Hog was likely thicker and meatier than any Texas Whitetail but all three will still kill em dead.

Buy one box of each or your top two. You should be able to site in a couple of times and still have a few rounds left over to hunt with. Then again, it depends upon how many deer you plan on taking?

300m is a long way for the 9.3x62.

If you must, go with the lightest and fastest.

Know your dropping is the the key ....

back to the Op questions i used with very good succees on piglet and roe deer the Alaska bullet from Norma but i always try to avoid the shoulder ....

i may try the 235 Oryx bullet i ve heard good thing on them.

myself now im using only the 286 partition bullet for hunting and for training the Hornady ones ...

The only projectile I don't like in the 9,3x62 or the 9,3x74R is the 270 gr Speer bullet ... jacket is too thin and the core too hard resulting in fragments in the wound canal.

Shame because it is a very accurate projectile in my rifles.

285 grain Lapua Mega is a great choice with a decent price.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Actually whitetails in Texas take a totally different kind of bullet than whitetails anywhere else. The bullet must have a color replica of the Texas State Flag imprinted on it's outer surface in order to be legal and efficient in taking a Texas whitetail. Just thought I would point this out and am sure a lot of Texas folks here on AR can assure you this is indeed required.

Larry Sellers
SCI (International) Life Member

God Bless the Republic!

quote:

i may try the 235 Oryx bullet i ve heard good thing on them.

I think they're actually 232 grains and should be the ticket. If you hit the "triangle", should be just a "bang flop" with very little meat damage.
Zero at 200 yds and you're never more than 3" over and your down 12" at 300 yds...very doable with practice. Not many deer get up and run off.

I have killed quite a few TX whitetails and hogs with a 9.3x62 and x74r, and I have not found any bullet that hasn't worked well. My "plinking" loads for both calibers uses a 285 gr PRVI soft point, and it has literally punched a hole in every animal I have shot with them. Nosler Accubonds and Ballistic Tips have worked well as well with minimal meat damage.

The 250 Accubond is a very fine choice for that kind of game.

M

Any ammo will work.
Sneak up close, put the butt against his head and pull the trigger.

Why do folks try to make something out of a cartridge that is wasn't designed to be...

The 9.3x62 is a rather short range cartridge for anythng that walks this planet..for that purpose it does yeomans work, and has about a 200 year record..

A long range sendero caliber its not, there are many better choices, even the 250-3000 beats it there...

I hunt Mule deer and elk with my 9.3x62 a good part of the time, and I shoot at game within my self imposed limitations of 250 to 300 yards max, and I live with what some may consider a less than desired expanding bullet, I like the 286 Nosler, it leaves a good blood trail that a blind man can follow and it does not blood shot a lot of meat, it works on both deer and elk, and in fact as Elmer used to say, "you can eat right up to the hole".

If I was trophy hunting I would probably take my .270 or 300 H&H for deer and my .338 win for elk. but for most of my hunting I like the 9.3x62, its an awesome caliber, and in a real nice Mauser, it has some nostalgia and I like that. Its the best caliber in a std. size action that has no belt, and isn't a magnum,for whatever thats worth.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Why do folks try to make something out of a cartridge that is wasn't designed to be...

The 9.3x62 is a rather short range cartridge for anythng that walks this planet..for that purpose it does yeomans work, and has about a 200 year record..

A long range sendero caliber its not, there are many better choices, even the 250-3000 beats it there...

I hunt Mule deer and elk with my 9.3x62 a good part of the time, and I shoot at game within my self imposed limitations of 250 to 300 yards max...

For many hunters 250yds - 300yds is not short range.

I don't own one but if I did I'd have zero issues using it at 325yds (my current personal distance limitation) if using a bullet properly designed for the hunted game.